Silicone Protection Sleeve

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a sleeve or wrap made of silicone rubber. The device is placed or wrapped around the user&#39;s arm such as the forearm for burn protection during cooking.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

A portion of the disclosure of this patent contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a device for protection of the arm during cooking or other activities involving fire or heat. In particular, the present invention relates to a silicone device designed to fit around at least a portion of the arm to protect the user from cooking related burns.

2. Description of Related Art

The act of cooking whether at home or at a restaurant is an inherently dangerous practice. One is dealing with fire or hot burners, heated pots, and the steaming contents of those pots represent an opportunity to burn oneself especially while reaching to pots and over pots to back burners. Further, splashing food that is close to the boiling point is another burn hazard. All in all, anyone spending any time cooking is faced with the possibility of burning their arms at some point in time no matter how careful they are.

One can wear long sleeve clothing but that is only of limited value and probably no value at all in the case of steam or hot water. In fact, clothing will hold the water against the arm making a burn worse than if no clothing were on the arm. Some types of cooking mitts and gloves are known in a variety of materials but they all suffer from leaving the user with little or no dexterity left with the user's fingers. While forearm protection has been utilized in other arts, such as archery and the like, those devices while providing some protection do not provide protection from hot water or steam.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the use of a forearm or full arm protector made of a silicon rubber material suitable protecting not only from heat but also from water or steam burns.

Accordingly, one embodiment of the present invention relates to a device for protecting at least a portion of the arm of a user during cooking consisting of a silicone rubber material resistant to temperatures of from −55 degrees C. to 300 degrees C. that wraps around the portion of the arm to be protected.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wrap of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a sleeve of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective of the device of the invention on a user in an area consisting of a portion of the users arm (forearm in this view).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While this invention is susceptible to embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail specific embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure of such embodiments is to be considered as an example of the principles and not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments shown and described. In the description below, like reference numerals are used to describe the same, similar or corresponding parts in the several views of the drawings. This detailed description defines the meaning of the terms used herein and specifically describes embodiments in order for those skilled in the art to practice the invention.

As used herein the term “about” means ±10 percent.

The terms “a” or “an”, as used herein, are defined as one or as more than one. The term “plurality”, as used herein, is defined as two or as more than two. The term “another”, as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms “including” and/or “having”, as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The term “coupled”, as used herein, is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically.

Reference throughout this document to “one embodiment”, “certain embodiments”, and “an embodiment” or similar terms means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearances of such phrases or in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments without limitation.

The term “or” as used herein is to be interpreted as an inclusive or meaning any one or any combination. Therefore, “A, B or C” means any of the following: “A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; A, B and C”. An exception to this definition will occur only when a combination of elements, functions, steps or acts are in some way inherently mutually exclusive.

The drawings featured in the figures are for the purpose of illustrating certain convenient embodiments of the present invention, and are not to be considered as limitation thereto. Term “means” preceding a present participle of an operation indicates a desired function for which there is one or more embodiments, i.e., one or more methods, devices, or apparatuses for achieving the desired function and that one skilled in the art could select from these or their equivalent in view of the disclosure herein and use of the term “means” is not intended to be limiting.

The “device” of the present invention is a silicone rubber wrap or sleeve for protection of an area consisting of at least a portion of the user's arm. The “arm” as used herein is the area from the wrist to the shoulder of the user and does not comprise the hand of the user or any other part of the user's body. In one embodiment the arm is at least a portion of the forearm of the user. Thus, the user's hand can be free to manipulate, hold, or do chores consistent with cooking, especially work with pots and pans on the cook top or stove.

As used herein “silicone rubber” refers to a rubber-like material composed of silicone polymer together with carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Silicone rubber is generally non-reactive, stable and resistant to extreme environments and temperatures from −55° C. to 300° C. while maintaining its useful protective properties. Silicone rubber has been in use since the early 1940's. During the manufacture, heat is used to set or cure the silicone in its rubber-like form and is normally in the art carried out in a one or two stage process at the point of manufacture into the desired shape of the present invention, after which a prolonged post-cure process is used. The present device can also be injection molded into the desired shape by means known in the art.

As used herein the “silicone rubber” is made into a wrap by taking a flat piece of silicone that can be wrapped around the desired portion of the user's arm. Where a wrap is utilized it is anticipated that consisting of language includes a means for keeping the wrap on the arm, such as hook and loop fasteners, bands, or any other type device. Wherein the device is a sleeve, the hand of the user pushes into it like the sleeve on a shirt and the device is held in place by virtue of the sleeve's shape. Since it circumferentially wraps the arm (at least a portion), a sleeve consists of only the silicone material and no fasteners.

In the practice of the present invention, the area of the arm to be covered is covered consisting of positioning a wrap or sleeve on the area consisting of a portion of the arm of the user, the sleeve or wrap made of a silicone rubber material resistant to temperatures of from −55 degrees C. to 300 degrees C.

Now referring to the figures. FIG. 1 is a wrap of the present invention. Wrap 1 consists of a piece of silicone rubber material and has a wrist end 2 and an upper arm end 3. Sides 4 and 5 wrap around the forearm and fasteners 6 a and 6 b keep the wrap around the user's arm.

In FIG. 2 a sleeve of the present invention is shown. The sleeve 10 has wrist end 12 and upper arm end 13. Each end 12 and 13 has circular opening 15 (a circumferential opening). Once again, the body 16 of the device is made of silicone rubber. To place the device on the arm, the user places their hand into the opening at end 13 and out the opening 15 at end 12 until the hand freely protrudes therefrom.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the arm 21 inserted in the sleeve 10 of the present invention with the hand 22 and wrist 33 shown free of the device. The arm herein as noted above means the device is positioned such that the hand can freely move at the wrist.

Those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may make modifications resulting in other embodiments employing principles of the present invention without departing from its spirit or characteristics, particularly upon considering the foregoing teachings. Accordingly, the described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative, and not restrictive, and the scope of the present invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description or drawings. Consequently, while the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, modifications of structure, sequence, materials and the like apparent to those skilled in the art still fall within the scope of the invention as claimed by the applicant. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for protecting at least a portion of the arm of a user during cooking consisting of a silicone rubber material resistant to temperatures of from −55 degrees C. to 300 degrees C. that wraps around the portion of the arm to be protected.
 2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the device is wrapped around an area consisting of at least a portion of the forearm of the user.
 3. A device according to claim 1 which wraps around the arm and seals.
 4. A device according to claim 1 which circumferentially slides onto the arm.
 5. The device according to claim 1 which is on an area of the user consisting of at least a portion of the user's arm.
 6. A method for protecting at least a portion of the arm of a user between the wrist and shoulder of the user consisting of positioning a wrap or sleeve on the area consisting of a portion of the arm of the user, the sleeve or wrap made of a silicone rubber material resistant to temperatures of from −55 degrees C. to 300 degrees C. 